Determined to Succeed - Award for Best Business Partnership

Firrhill High School, Edinburgh

Since 1999 Firrhill High School has shown an exceptionally pioneering attitude by forming partnerships with over 30 local organisations.  These organisations include large and small local businesses from an extensive cross section of industrial sectors, public sector organisations and registered charities.  The impact of the involvement of these organisations for the pupils is that they develop the transferable skills of creativity, communication, problem solving, time-management and team working that are all vital for the current workplace.

Firrhill’s most successful partnership involves 20 organisations who concurrently host the S3 pupils in an experience of work, as opposed to work experience.  The pupils are put into small mixed ability groups and each group works on an agreed project at the workplace for 2 days.  The pupils work collaboratively with their business partners who offer them guidance and support.  The pupils with the support of their business partners come back to the school to prepare and deliver a presentation of their experiences.  This integrated approach to partnership working and community involvement helps pupils understand how their ideas and suggestions can be followed through in the workplace.

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